Clidastes

Clidastes is a genus of mosasaur, a group of large, predatory marine reptiles that lived during the Late Cretaceous Period, about 95-65 million years ago. Clidastes was a medium-sized mosasaur, with an estimated length of about 20-30 feet and a weight of about 1000-1500 pounds. It had a long, slender body with a powerful tail and flippers, and a long, narrow snout with sharp teeth. Its body was probably covered in a layer of smooth, scaleless skin.

Clidastes was a highly adapted marine predator, capable of swimming at high speeds and capturing a variety of prey, including fish, ammonites, and other marine reptiles. It is known from a number of well-preserved fossil specimens, including several complete skeletons and skulls, which have helped paleontologists learn more about the anatomy and behavior of this reptile. Clidastes is known from North America and Europe, and is named after the Greek word 'kleidastes,' which means 'key-bearer.' It is thought to be closely related to other mosasaurs such as Tylosaurus and Platecarpus.